People living in Bath and North East Somerset are being told that choosing the right healthcare option for their condition will help the local NHS better manage the extreme pressure being felt by those on the frontline.

Since the start of the new year, all local health and care services, including the region’s three large hospitals, GP practices and ambulance crews, have seen a dramatic rise in demand. Rising numbers of flu cases are also continuing to cause problems.

Coming off the back of a particularly busy Christmas period, this intense start to the new year has prompted renewed calls for members of the public to do whatever they can to support their local NHS.

The most impactful action any person can take at this challenging time is to always choose the healthcare option most appropriate to their condition which, for most people suffering from minor illness and injury, is to simply rest at home and use healthcare products available from shops and pharmacies.

People can also help by supporting relatives and loved ones who are well enough to leave hospital on their journey home or to their place of care.

Gill May, chief nurse, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The first two weeks of any new year are always a very difficult time for the NHS, and the beginning of 2025 is no exception.

“Our teams on the frontline put in a stellar shift over the busy festive period, missing out on time with family and friends in order to provide care to others, and we now all need to get behind them and show our support in whatever way we can.

“Choosing right, by practising self-care, visiting a pharmacy or using NHS 111 online, not only allows our teams to focus on caring for those most in need, but also helps the individual to get any help needed much quicker.

“This is a challenging time for everyone involved in health and care, but I can honestly say that the support we get from our local communities really does help and really does make an enormous difference, especially now, which is when we need it most.”

NHS 111 online is a quick and easy way to get instant health and care advice, with the digital tool able to provide information that is specific to each and every user. It can also refer people to in-person services, such as GP practices, minor injuries units and urgent treatment centres.

Help and support can also be found at any one of the dozens of pharmacies located across Bath and North East Somerset.

In addition, pharmacists can prescribe medicine for up to seven common conditions, meaning people no longer have to speak to a GP to get a prescription.

These are for sinusitis, sore throats, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, which is a contagion skin infection, shingles and urinary tract infections in women.

More information on pharmacies, as well as all other local health and care services, can be found at www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk.